Story of the year: Cubs’ title earns top honor.
Everything changed for the Chicago Cubs on a rainy November night. A century-plus worth of heartache washed away by a wave of pure joy.
There were hugs, cheers and tears — and bottles and bottles of booze, sprayed everywhere from Cleveland to the shadow of Wrigley Field.
The story of so many lifetimes is The Associated Press’ Sports Story of the Year.
The Cubs’ first World Series title since 1908 is the runaway winner for top sports story of 2016, collecting 48 of 59 first-place votes and 549 points in balloting by AP members and editors. The death of Muhammad Ali after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease was second with 427 points, and LeBron James leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to the franchise’s first NBA title took third with 425 points.
SKIING
Olympic super-G champion Anna Veith of Austria is planning to return to World Cup racing at a giant slalom in Semmering, Austria, on Tuesday, 14 months after badly damaging her right knee in a training crash.
In a statement from the Austrian ski federation, the 27-year-old two-time overall champion said, “I feel ready for my comeback. Physically I’m still far away from my level before the injury but I’ve made clear progress in training over the last few weeks.”
Known as Anna Fenninger before getting married this year, Veith won the overall title in 2014 and again the following year, but missed last season to recover from knee surgery in October 2015.
Veith hasn’t competed since winning the seasonending giant slalom in Meribel, France, on March 22, 2015.
BOWLING
Francois Lavoie defeated the PBA’s all-time titles leader, Walter Ray Williams Jr., 204-196, to win the Shark Championship in Reno, Nev., and spoil Williams’ bid for history.
Williams, at age 57 years and 65 days, was in position to become the oldest player to win a PBA Tour title when he advanced out of the four-player elimination match to open the championship round.
The record for the oldest PBA Tour titlist is held by John Handegard, who was 57 years and 55 days old when he won in Kennewick, Wash., in 1995.
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will not take part in the UFC 207 event Friday night in Las Vegas.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission did not approve the 34-year-old Velasquez (14-2) to compete against Fabrico Werdum due to medical issues. Werdum will not face a replacement fighter. The card will be headlined by a women's bantamweight title fight between Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey and will feature 10 bouts instead of 11.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Dru Brown threw for 274 yards and four touchdowns and Hawaii overcame an early deficit to beat Middle Tennessee, 52-35, in the Hawaii Bowl late Saturday night in Honolulu.
The Rainbow Warriors (7-7) amassed 500 yards of total offense and their highest-scoring output this season to end the year on a three-game winning streak.
Brown completed 20 of 30 passes without an interception. He had a 2-yard touchdown run and was sacked just once. Brown has nine touchdowns to zero interceptions in his last two games.
“I think the offensive line played a solid role in that,” Brown said. “They played really well the last two games and really all year. Most of the time when the offense isn’t working it’s my fault. I still think I made some mistakes today, (but) they just weren’t magnified. The receivers played great and the coaches called great plays.”
Tight end Metuisela Unga caught two of Brown’s scoring strikes.